why can't this car be here??
so, in my car research, the jeep patriot keeps coming up as the one that fills my needs best (the husband gets the car, I get the haulin' vehicle).
not that i can afford *any* new or used vehicle any time soon, but I like to keep up on what's out there and where the industry is going. I really like the jeep patriot because it has some great features (all the seats except the driver's fold flat, the back seat is a 60/40 split, and it has velcro-on vinyl mat that can cover the back; it has a really good size of vehicle to amount of space ratio, even with people in the back seat; and others that fit my now and future needs).
but what i'm whining about is that daimler/chrysler (which owns jeep) said a couple yrs ago that by 2008 they would have diesel engines as an available feature in all their new vehicles. well, so far the jeep grand cherokee has one, and that's about it. i was looking at the reviews of the diesel patriot done in europe-- OMG!! it has a system that makes it 4x2 while cruising but 4x4 when revving/cornering/going up a hill, which saves a lot of gas, and the diesel-- in the review test run NOT a lab-- averaged 33-34 city and 54-56 hwy! WTF? why can't i have this NOW? a small hauling vehicle w/ moderate tow-capabilities w/ the mileage of a small sedan?? the big drawback for americans, apparently, is the diesel right now is designed for 6-speed manual, and we are apparently automatic weenies. (i learned to drive stick on a volkswagen bus 30 yrs older than i was w/no power steering or automatic, w/ 4inches b/w me and the trees; when i drove to high school i had a 4-on-the-floor runs-on-a-rubberband-and-a-hamster 14 yr old ford...)
GRrrrrrr... stupid ppl. hopefully the "OMG! gas! it's 20c higher than in 1920 if you count inflation! let's act just like the last oil crisis in the '70s and forget about it 5 yrs later!" will make this thing get here sooner...
this would be pretty much the *perfect* vehicle for me. especially since i know where to get a make your own biodiesel setup...
not that i can afford *any* new or used vehicle any time soon, but I like to keep up on what's out there and where the industry is going. I really like the jeep patriot because it has some great features (all the seats except the driver's fold flat, the back seat is a 60/40 split, and it has velcro-on vinyl mat that can cover the back; it has a really good size of vehicle to amount of space ratio, even with people in the back seat; and others that fit my now and future needs).
but what i'm whining about is that daimler/chrysler (which owns jeep) said a couple yrs ago that by 2008 they would have diesel engines as an available feature in all their new vehicles. well, so far the jeep grand cherokee has one, and that's about it. i was looking at the reviews of the diesel patriot done in europe-- OMG!! it has a system that makes it 4x2 while cruising but 4x4 when revving/cornering/going up a hill, which saves a lot of gas, and the diesel-- in the review test run NOT a lab-- averaged 33-34 city and 54-56 hwy! WTF? why can't i have this NOW? a small hauling vehicle w/ moderate tow-capabilities w/ the mileage of a small sedan?? the big drawback for americans, apparently, is the diesel right now is designed for 6-speed manual, and we are apparently automatic weenies. (i learned to drive stick on a volkswagen bus 30 yrs older than i was w/no power steering or automatic, w/ 4inches b/w me and the trees; when i drove to high school i had a 4-on-the-floor runs-on-a-rubberband-and-a-hamster 14 yr old ford...)
GRrrrrrr... stupid ppl. hopefully the "OMG! gas! it's 20c higher than in 1920 if you count inflation! let's act just like the last oil crisis in the '70s and forget about it 5 yrs later!" will make this thing get here sooner...
this would be pretty much the *perfect* vehicle for me. especially since i know where to get a make your own biodiesel setup...